Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mode-switching control device for a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle having an engine and an electric motor as on-board power sources, and being switchable between an electric operation mode (EV mode) in which the vehicle is operated with the electric motor only, and a hybrid operation mode (HEV mode) in which the vehicle is operated with the electric motor and the engine.
Background Information
Hybrid vehicles of this type known in the prior art include that disclosed, e.g., in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2000-199442. This hybrid vehicle has a design in which an engine provided as one of the power sources is decouplably drive-coupled to vehicle wheels via a continuously variable transmission and a clutch in that order, whereas an electric motor provided as the other power source is coupled full-time to the wheels.
With this hybrid vehicle, electric operation (EV operation) in EV mode powered by the electric motor alone is possible by stopping the engine and releasing the clutch, while hybrid operation (HEV operation) in HEV mode powered by the electric motor and the engine is possible by starting the engine and engaging the clutch.
By releasing the clutch in the aforedescribed manner during EV operation, the stopped engine (and, when a transmission is present, the transmission as well) is decoupled from the vehicle wheels, and the engine (transmission) is not co-rotated (dragged) during EV operation, avoiding energy losses to a commensurate extent, so that the energy efficiency can be increased.